Help! Starch!

[Izak's Mom]

I fed my son some rice for dinner, and I added a bit of the Price Chopper Central Market Classic brand vegetable korma sauce thinking it was OK...then stupid me looked at the label AFTER he'd had a few bites and it lists 'modified tapioca starch' near the bottom. So now I'm feeling like a total idiot, but I just farted around on the internet for a bit and came across something that said that "modified corn starch" and "modified tapioca starch" are OK, but "modified food starch" is not. Is this true????

[CarlaB]

Modified corn starch and modified tapioca starch are fine.

Modified food starch is fine as long as the allergen statement does not say "wheat". The new allergen labeling laws certainly have made food starch easier for us!!

[happygirl]

Izak's Mom,

Its ok, we all have our moments --- don't worry!

And to re-iterate what Carla said, modified corn/tapioca starch are safe. Modified food starch *used* to be a problem because companies weren't required to list its source. Now, they aren't fully required to label it, unless it is one of the 8 main allergens, one of which is wheat. So, if it is wheat, it will probably say "Modified food starch-wheat" or "Modified wheat starch". At the bottom, under the ingredients, it will say, "CONTAINS: WHEAT" This is part of the 2006 FDA Food Labeling Law, which was effective Jan 1, 2006.

Hope this helps clarify,

Laura

[Lisa]

I just want to add that the food listing regulations are for the US. I am not up on the regulations in the other countries that frequent this site.

[happygirl]

Lisa: You are so good to us